Do's and Don'ts of Dealing with Asbestos at Home

In the 1950s, Australia was the highest consumer of asbestos, with every major city having an asbestos cement factory.

A decade later, 25 percent of Australian houses were constructed with asbestos cement. Over 60 percent of production and 90 percent of consumption was through the asbestos manufacturing industry and residential building projects.

In 1984, most Australian cities rolled out a ban on mining raw asbestos, as well as manufacturing and installing asbestos-containing products. Nearly 20 years after, the ban on using and selling of any type of asbestos products took effect throughout the country.

However, some residential properties are still under threat of the leftover effects of past asbestos use.

Today, we share some insights into asbestos removal in homes:

How to Handle Asbestos

If you think that your home has an asbestos-containing material, the safest thing to do is to avoid touching it at all costs. If the material does not show signs of wear and tear, you may leave it as such. Internal asbestos cement ceilings or sheet walls that are coated in paint and in good condition, for example, don’t pose a health risk.

However, if the material appears damaged, contact an asbestos professional immediately to test your home’s air quality.

With a professional around, you can inquire about asbestos removal to make your home completely free from asbestos. The earlier you address with asbestos-containing materials in your home, the lower the risk to your health.

How NOT to Handle Asbestos

Disposal of asbestos-containing material is not DIY work. A common misconception is that wetting the surface of an asbestos-containing material reduces the chances of the fibres spreading, but this is never the case. Using a high-pressure water system to wet the surface of the material can widen the diffusion of loose asbestos fibres.

Don’t use power tools such as abrasive sanding or cutting discs to break down the material into smaller forms, since it can contribute to airborne debris from the asbestos-containing materials.

If you have a corrugated asbestos roof, you should never walk on it. Many homeowners have incurred serious injuries after falling through worn-out asbestos roofs while attempting to examine the surface of their roof.

Professional Asbestos Removal

If you are looking for a reliable company the offers asbestos disposal in Perth, EOSH Consulting is the company for you. We provide fully qualified removalists to handle any asbestos-containing materials. They have extensive experience in dealing with any situation where asbestos poses health risks or has been damaged.

At EOSH Consulting, no asbestos removal project is too small or large for us to handle. We have managed some of the most complicated asbestos projects around the world. From start to finish, we respond to your removal needs efficiently and promptly.